“Not everyone has sound financial knowledge, including those from well-respected professions. Therefore your opinion and judgement as an Accountant matters and helps.”

How did you get involved in volunteering? 

My first volunteering role was in 2013 as a Treasurer at Toastmasters, a public speaking club. I really enjoyed volunteering my time and making a difference to the club which is why I decided to continue on the path of volunteering. My current volunteering role is a Treasurer at Beyond Words which aims to transforms the lives of those struggling with the written word, especially those with learning disabilities and autism. I really do enjoy helping and putting my knowledge / skills towards a good cause.

What do you most enjoy about volunteering?

Being in a position to help and make a difference. 

What has been your proudest moment as a volunteer?

I took over the position of a Treasurer of a public speaking club which was struggling financially and I helped implement changes which alleviated the club’s short term finances and ensured the long term financial viability of the club.  

What has been the toughest time volunteering?

I had to increase membership cost of a public speaking club by 50% in order to keep the club finically viable. However I was able to justify the increase by researching the costs of competitor clubs, analyse the clubs offering and assessing it against other options.

How have your accountancy skills come into play? 

Being able to build a simple cash flow forecast model in excel. This analysis helped define the different options available to implement.

What have you learnt from volunteering?

Not everyone has sound financial knowledge, including those from well-respected professions. Therefore your opinion and judgement as an Accountant matters and helps.

What would be your one piece of advice for accountants looking to volunteer?

Go for an opportunity that interest you as you will be more motivated to make a difference.

How can get more accountants volunteering?

By being vocal about the opportunities/benefits within our network. Such opportunities help the volunteer to develop and the recipient to benefit from the expertise — it’s a Win-Win situation for all.